This invention relates to an implement for both sweeping and raking. More particularly it relates to a broom rake useful outdoors for sweeping debris and for raking leaves and grass off a smooth, hard surface, such as a sidewalk, or a discontinuous surface, such as gravel.
It has been known in the past to use a conventional bristle broom for sweeping a sidewalk and a rake for picking up leaves. However, neither of these devices, which are each useful for one of the above mentioned functions, can be effectively used for the other of these functions. The broom rake of this invention provides a single implement for performing both these functions.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,942,629 and 2,481,697 disclose devices indentified as "broom rakes", but the devices disclosed therein do not have the same structure as the broom rake of the present invention. Nor do these patents disclose that these devices may be operated as is the broom rake of this invention to perform both sweeping and raking functions. U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,788 discloses a shag rug groomer, which may be raked across a shag rug with a pushing action, a pulling action, or a combination of both actions. While this patent discloses that this groomer penetrates the fibers of a rug to perform its raking function, it does not disclose that it can perform a second function of sweeping a non-penetrable, hard surface or a gravel type surface.